"C. Sanford Lowe & G. David Nordley - The Small Pond" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lowe C Sanford)

division. The door wouldnтАЩt open. She groaned, then wiped her hand and the handle
to aid the ancient fingerprint recognition systemтАЩs ability to recognize her paw.
It still wouldnтАЩt open.
A soft beep sounded that only the person standing in front of the door could
hear. Liz touched the net for admin.
I am sorry, but you are not authorized entry to this office, came the reply.
Of course I am! Liz sent. IтАЩm Elizabeth Avonford and this is my office. For a
while, anyway ... Her stomach tightened as she realized what had happened. Chaos!
It had only been ten lousy hours!
A young man, a tall blond, came down the hall toward her, followed by a
cartload of boxes. As he reached her, he smiled winningly and stuck out his hand.
тАЬDavid Levi.тАЭ He pronounced it dah-FEED leh-VEE. тАЬA visitor already! As
you see, I havenтАЩt moved in yet.тАЭ
тАЬItтАЩs my office,тАЭ Liz said, knowing she was wrong.
Levi stared at her.
Liz sighed, deflated. тАЬAt least it was. I think my stuff is still in there.тАЭ
тАЬOh, dear.тАЭ Levi looked concerned. тАЬLetтАЩs see.тАЭ
He put this hand on the pad and the door opened. The office was bare.
тАЬDamn!тАЭ Liz said. SheтАЩd only had it for three years, and most of that time
sheтАЩd been in space. Still, there were memoriesтАФher first real job.
She looked at the wall where the pictures of her family had hung. The empty
shelves that had held a few precious real books. Even her snow kitten doll was gone.
Levi looked mortified. тАЬIтАЩm sorry, I ... They just assigned it.тАЭ
Liz shook her head and wiped away a tear. тАЬItтАЩs not your fault. IтАЩm sure the
service robots have stashed my things somewhere.тАЭ She composed herself. тАЬWell,
what do you do?тАЭ
тАЬBionanotechnology. I got my doctorate at Jerusalem United fifteen years ago
and finally got a position.тАЭ He stepped aside and the cart moved into the office with
his things. тАЬOnly so much to do and a hundred and twenty-three billion people to do
it.тАЭ
Liz smiled and shuddered inwardly. She had a sudden insight into what
resentment there might be towards her or any other colonials taking up positions.
тАЬAnd you are?тАЭ Levi asked.
Liz hesitated, then sighed. HeтАЩd find out soon enough. тАЬElizabeth Avonford.тАЭ
His eyes went wide. тАЬThe person who just discovered the new planet three
thousand AUтАЩs out? Captain Kate AvonfordтАЩs daughter? And IтАЩm taking your
office? IтАЩm very sorry!тАЭ
She smiled falsely. тАЬBureaucratic error. Uh, ten days before spring or after
autumn equinox, the sun sets right behind the old fort. Enjoy it. By the way, itтАЩs a
kuiperoid or planetoid or whateverтАФnot a planet.тАЭ She turned and walked to the
elevator.
As she entered her apartment, she realized she had to talk to someone. She
touched the net for her older sister, Hilda.
Hilda, I just got my ass fired. She took a breath. Help!
A few minutes later, her sister was on her wall screen. Hilda had inherited
wide-set blue eyes from their father, Wotan Kremer, and a long nose so much like
her own that, in certain positions and lighting, it was almost like looking in a mirror.
But HildaтАЩs hair was an almost platinum gold, while her own locks were more
reddish brown, attesting to Catherine AvonfordтАЩs Celtic lineage. And Hilda had a
strong chin. Liz often thought about having her own enhanced.